Grass-twine machine.



No. 096,783. PATENTBD AUG. 25, 1908. K. WBSSBL. GRASS TWINS MACHINE.

j nrmcnxol nu un. u.

f. m n nim. m ZM m M4 u LIN u @14a-miauw rArml'rsn AUG. 2s, 190s. x. wnsssr..

cuss 'rwm mcnnm.

APPLNATNI llLlDlllPl'. l. UN.

YM m m. 1.2M .00 ma a.

PATENTBD AUG. 25, 1908. K. WHSSEL. GRASS TWNE MACHINE.

APPLICATION I'ILE) MPT. 13. 1MM

1 nm'kuln i. da

PA'rnN'rnn'Auc. as, 190s.

I llBETI-IIEET 4.

K. WBSSEL. GRASS TWINS MACHINE.

unicum num un. x2, um.

Q .m w,

m. 896,783. PUBMED ue. 25. 190s.

\ x. wasser.. K

GRASS TWINS MACHINE.

urucnxon funn snm. 12. mp4.

' 1 nun-lun s.

"nun," 'z/ guuv lill/11i l.. 895,783. PATBNTED AUG'. 25, 1908. K. WBSSEL. GRASS TWINS MACHINE.

nimcuww rum mm'. 1a. 1904.

l IlIlTl-Illl' I..

No. 896,783. PATENTE!) AUG. 25, 1908.

X. WESSEL. GRASS TWINB MACHINE.

APPX-NATM! TILEDIEPI. II, HOI.

7 llllTI-lllll 1.

)f2/beffa idf v'dm

' mechanismpro ic r.

ntvolveit minor iut important novel features it. nenas.

Ta all wliomy it may concern:

Be itltnown that I, Kain. Wassen, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at. St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minneaota, have invented certain new and useful Im rovementa in Grass-Twine Machines; ant I do hereby declare. the following to be a full, clear, and exact descri tion of the invention, auch as will enable ot ters skilled in the art to which it a'ppertains to make and `use the same.-

.Thia invention relates to vinachinea of the elasa employed. in making grass twine, and has forits ob'ect to provide a machine of very high eiliciency, hoth as to quantitv and quality oi work turned oiit, wliich ia o simple construction and hence of small iirst cost, easy tomaintain in operative condition and capable of being o icrated b unskilled peraona, and'hicli w' take tip uit small space,

.thua making possible the installment of a plant of large ca acity within a comparaively aniall hnildin To the above einiis this invention consists el' the novel devices and combination ol devices hereinafter described and deiincd in theV claims.'

The invention is directed chiellv to iinproved mechanism for selecting, from a suitable grass holder, the blades-of grass in a regular aiid uniform order of succession, and delivering the saine to tite twine forming ilowever, the invention of 'construction and combinations` of parts which will be hereinafter described and defined -iti the claims.

Successful grass feeding mechanisms for.

machines of the character above noted have,

rior to in v present invention, been very iiulky, heavy, expensive to build, liable to get otit oi' order, and have required a great tlciil of power to drive-them, and a large Aamount of expert hclp to i-uii them and main on thc machine, making it impossible to'innl thetwine-forming mechanism propel' up to 03mm um. 1 i

-ing broken away.

,UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

KARL WEBSEL, OF ST. YA-UL. MINNESOTA, ASSIGXOR TO ,FREDERICK E. WAIT AND OSSIAN T. WAITB, 0F OSllKOSll, WISCONSIN. i

ratntbdAlg. 151m."

ing incchaiiisui capable of supplying the grass -6 to the twine forming mechanism when-the hitter is running at its highest operative speed. By the accomplishmentof-this reisnlt, as I' have denionstrated in' ractiee, l

have more than doubled the capacity of nia chiites oi' this general character, considered with respect to th number oi twine-formin f devices used in a particular machine.v (la ciilated with respect to space taken tip.- with respect to coat, and with respect to the ituni- 7 bei' of persons required for operating the muchines, and to keep the saine in re air, I have inanv times more than doubled t ie capacity of such machines.

The accompanying drawings illustrate tn v 7 invention as embodied in a machine 'which I have huilt and int into actual nite. In Vthe said drawings. ike cliaiiictenttindicate like parts throughout the several views.'

Figure f. is a plan view of the complete iual chine, sonic parts` being broken away.- Fig. 2 is a right side elevation ol' the machine. Fig, 3 is a iront elevation of the niachine. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section, takeii through the machine on the line .r 1" of Fig. t

- l. Fig. 5 is a detail in elevation, limiting at' the rear end oi' the machine, some pints be'- Fig. (i is a vertical longitudinal section taken through a portioirof the machine on the line .r i* 'of Fi". l. Fig: t

7 is a transversevertical section taken through the front portion of the machine on the line x .r1 oi' Fig. t. Fig. 8 is n'detail in y rear elevation, .showing parts of the. so

called priinarv feed device, the said parts'het ing sepiit'atei from the niachinmon tlieline .r" .r" ol' Fig. l. Fig. i) in ii'detail oi' trane-v veise vertical section, taken ini the line :".r of Fig. l. Fig. lt) is a transverse vertieal= section taken through the'inachiiie approxi-f niatclv on the line .r" rI of Fig. I, sonic parts. living left in full.' Fig. It is'a transverse ver tical section, taken on the line;i"".r of Fig. l, some parts being broken away. Fig. 12 is a transverse vertical section, taken 'through' l tite machine on the line I" r" oi' Fig. "l sonic* parta being broken away.' Fig. t 3 is a transe"v verse' vertical section, taken throng-h the iiia .beari A58 parallel, arrangement: the grass chine on the line z" e of Fig. l. Fig. 14 is a .detail in side elevation, showing an expan- `sible iulley' and Fig. 15 is a section on the line: r" olJ Fig. 14. l All of the running parts of the machine are mounted directly or indirectly on a heavy, approximately rectangular, skeleton frame l, preferably made up of castings. Power is transmitted tc the running parte of the machine tlirou h a power-driven belt (not shown) whic i runs over a pulley 2, carried by. a countershaft 3, extended transvcrsel o the machine, and journaled in suitabe on the side brackets thereof, (see particu arly Figs. 1, 2 and 12), which shaft carries a bevel gear 4 at its intermediate portion, and a spur gear 5 at one end, and is provided, adjacent to the ulley 2, with a loose pulley 6, over which oose pulley the belt' so may run when the machine is thrown out of action. .The bevel gear 4 meshes with a pinion 7 carried by a short vertical shaft 8, mounted in a bearing 9, rigidlv secured to a transverse portion o the mac ine frame, as best shown in Figs. ,2 and 12. At its lower end the shaft 8 carries a bevel gear 10 that meshes with a bevel pinion 11, carried by a long countcrshaft 12 that extends-from front to rear of the machine, centrally, and near the lower portion of the frame, and is journalsd in suitable bearings on transverse portions -of the said frame 1. This long count'ershaft.12 further c arries a pulle 13 at its intermediate portion, an expansi le pulley 14 at its front end, and a miter gear 15 at its rear end. The pulley 14 is, as shawn, made u of arelatively fixed,and a slidanle section, w ich sections interlap with each other. A

ranged arm It* eng es an annular groove 4o 4" in the liub of the s idable pulley section, and this arm is engaged by the threaded endV of an adjusting screw 14, which is swiveled in a bearing .14", rigid on the machine frame.

. All of the running arts of the machine re- 45 oeive motion from t ie countershafts above noted through devices which will be hereinafter described in connection with a descrip` tion of the several groups or classes of mec ianisms.' t 80\ The com lete machine illustrated may be convenient y treated as made up of the fol lowing classes of mechanisms, to-wit;--The lier or holders, which are adapted to loose bundles of the grass Iin stra ht, fee ing mechanism, consisting of a riniary feed device, or grass selector, wliic is arranged to -foins the aas blades from the holder in s regular o er of successionl by a lateral-or 60 si ewise movement, as distinguished from a endwise movement; and a secondary fccd device, which receives the grass blades from old the primar feed device or selector, as the' same is f laterally thereto, and imparts el endvrise movements to the grass blades and and parall sensa starts them on through the machine, in an regular order of succession, overlapped the twine: the cru in mechanism w ich receives the overlappe grass from the s econdary feed device, and operates thereon to crush or' flatten out the said blades, thereby giving increased flexibi it thereto: the twine forinin mechanism, w ich compacts the grass b adcs into twine form with the blades of the grass in stra ht parallel arrangement,l as distinguished rom spiral or twisted form, and com letes the twine by wra ping the compac blades about with a bin ing thread: and the reeli mechanism, which serves to wind up onto vspool or spools the completed twine. e reeling mechanism illustrated is of standard constructionv and it will be understood that an suitable reeling mechanism maybecm loye Furthermore, it will be understood t iat various combinations and rearrangements of the several groups or 'mechanisms above enumerated, and arrangements of the elements of the said groups, may be inade within the scope of my" invention as herein set a forth and claimed.

With the above introductory statements made, l will now describe in detail the con; struction of the'scveral classes of mechanism noted, as they are carried out in the machine which I have constructed, and which is illus--` trated in the accompanyi drawings. The machine illustrated is a dou lc machine, that is, is adapted to simultaneously` make two lines of twine. In the following description I will generally describe but a sin le set of the said several mechanisms, and wil refer to the duplicate arrangement onl in so far. as may be neccssaryto connect t e duplicate parts to the countershafts above noted.

Grass holden-Extending transversely of with each other so as to glive the proper bod to the machine, and rigidi secured to the u r 1li .ilf-

portions of the forwai y projecting en he sides of the frame 1, 1s a supportin bracket 16, the upwardly projecting vertica flange of which is formed with a segmentall feed slot 17 that flares at its upper extremity forming a receiving crotch between a pair oi upright retaining posts' 18, rigidly secured to said flange, as best shown in i Adjustably secured to the horizontal flange of the bracket 16, by means of n'uttcd bolts 19 and a slotted linkvl() (sce Figs. 1, 3 and 6),"

is a su `porting head 21. having a transversely exten ed upper end, from which rises a pair of laterally spaced u right retaining oats 22. The two postal and the two pos 22, serve to hold in loosely com acted form, a bundle of rase, having it lados straight.

elzto each other (sce Fgsjl an 6, wherein the character z indicates the 'rasa blades). The butt ends of the grass b ades are projected ltowardthe rear of the machine, and to even them up, aud to maintain gs. 6, 7 and 8.

f. .i s wash...

seems y a an alinemeut of their butts, they are' placed against a vertically disposed stop plate '.3 (see Figs. l and fi), which stop plate is as shown, rigidly secured to a transverse sup* portin v har .24 rigidly supported by the machine rame just rearward of the bracket to. At its lower portion, and in line with the lower portion of the curved slot I7, the stop plate 23 is eut away, as shown at 23', and for a purpose which will presently appear.

('f'mas'fmling meehuni'sna--Secured on a short eountershaft 25,(see Figa. 3, 6, 8, and 9), mounted in the vertical flange of the bracket l. and in s bearing I6l thereon, is a rzo notched, disk .6 which runs iii close contact with the said vertical supporting thiiige, and constitutes the primary feed device or grass selector. A portion of the notched peripheryof this disk 26 projects into the slot t7 or, otherwise stated, the wall I7* ol' said groove, at its intermediate portion, falls hack of the periphery of said disk, leaving the note-lies or teeth thereof'exposed in line with said slot I7 throughout its intermediate portion; but at its upper and lower extremities laid wall I7* projects beyond the said notches or teeth, as best shown in Figs. R and 9. The importance of this construction will sp r in tie description of the operation.

f tigidly secured to the rear face of the vertical flange of the bracket I6, in the plane of the disks 26, is a throat regiilatin f plate .27 wliiclijadiacent to the abutting edge of said disk, is formed with a segmental guide surface 27* that extends approxiinatelv concentrie with said disk. This throat plate 2T is adjustable toward and from the disk, to vary the throat or space opening between the said curved surface 27* and the notched periphery of the disk; such adjust uicntsl as shown, being made possible by screw and slot connections '27". As is evident, for a given speed of rotatioiLof the disk. the amountA of' grass that -will be fed from the holders by said disk, will dei nd on he size of the tlliroat opening between said disk und throat ste. f p 'llie shaft 25 of the disk 22.. carries a small spur gear 28, and a gear guarding disk 25, (ses Pigs. 7 and tl). 'lhe gear 28. (see also Fig. l) meshes with the gear 29 of a spindle 30 mounted in the vertical llange of 'the bracket i6 and in the hearings 16 thereof. 'lhis spindle 30 carries a worin gear 3l that meshes with a worin 3'. carried bv a trimsverse shalt 3.3 jonrmlled in lugs formed on the bracket t6. At one'projecting ciid, the shaft 33 carries a grooved slieave 34.

'lheshatt 33 isdriven from the longitudinally extended eoiintershat' t l2. as shown, by im endless rope or cord belt 35, which runs over the pulley i4 of the said shaft l2, over the sheave :i4 of said shaft 33, and over idle ids sheaves 36,.sliowii'as journaled on the 'ng bracket ld. .The slack of the belt 35 that meshes with the gear '-ttiof t trated in Figs. l, ti and lli, antl referring to the parts thereof, the nuiaerhl 3H indicates a roller, which extends tra'iisve'rsaly of the iiiachine, just in the rearof'theprimary or s-`e` lectiig wheel 26, and is jouriiiiled in suitable hearings formed, as shown; on the 'ends of 75 the framev bar '.24' slrcady'no'tell." ,'flie shaft. of this roller projectsatopeciiih and is provided with a Sprocket' 3D. andiit its 'interme- 'diate portion, said relier-ea'rries'a sp'nr gear 4t). and is formed wit'hiin annular groove 4l. a0

ln'the duplicate arrangement ofhthi` machine. said roller 3S is, of course, providedlwith two gears t0 and two groovestl" which is between thc genif -ftilniutcoperatinv '85 groove -l l is a bearing sleeve 42,' formed wit i a rearwardlypi'ojectin 4'hin' e lug that' is hinged or picotally con cte( ."at 43, to lu'gs 44, rigidly, secured on tliefhen-foforc' noted frame har '.4 (see Figs.' tlf. and 6i! journuled in the bearing sleeve 42,' is a'sliait 45 which, at one end. carries a s iur gear 46 lie roller 3S. At its other end, towitf',"th1it end which prof jects toward 4the left with'respeet to Fig'. It), the shaft 45 is provideiVwitli' 'aiifeti'lnrged head or roller 4'7.` hnvin'g"attf'aiinnlar'groove 47" that nlincs with '.he'grmive -ltioftlie roller 3S. lSaid rollerl tl"is,iiiuilc 'c'oiriclil or Loos-ehen tapered toward a polntfiii"adireetion' to'- 100 ward the left. and ia'foriiiedjtvitlil very hiie tlireadsnt that portion which'cinitactsfwitli or lies` close to the roller'fS'nttlie left of the groove 4l. lt will thnsh'e seen that the cooperating l'ecd rollers 3Hu`iid -lT are caused 'to rotate in reverse'direct'itinslbv 'inc'ai'ia f'tl'ic gears 40 and 46. and arlvfornii-d u'itliltli'verg'l ing end or axial surfaceslwliicli'ada it thein to receive grass blades flircedftheie ietween' by lateral inovenients'." Byf' ference t'o Fig.` itl. it will be noted tli'a'tlthfliliveiigiiig sur-l luces of the rollci's 3S ari'll'Jtire's'o 'related to the .so-called throattopeiiiitg'fbetwt'en the disk 26 of the primary ffe'ed device, and the cooperating surface ofthe throat-plate ,x that blades of grass ii'iove'd liitcrallvby said' disk will be delivered lieti'veenthe converging surfaces of the said two rollers.' `'l`lie nu-v meral 4'." indicates weighted ariiis,v applied' to tlitl bearing sleeves -l ("rus/iing mcc/mnis'm1-'l`lie grass fed endwisc by the feed vollem' 'of llie'sccoiiditry feed device is l'ed through thejpussngc`2.' of thc stop plate 23. and betwctziii pair of'benvy crushing rollers is and 49; carried respec tively 1li\'.slinfts 5() 'and '.l. tlie'foi'n'ier ofv which shafts is journnled' in' tixed bearings on thc sides ofthe traine l.. und the latter of whichy is joui'nnled in slidinghoxek 52 that are mounted to niove vertical y in guides 53 13'0' on the side frames of the machine, (see partion 68 carries a radisll ticularly Figs. l, 6 and 11). In the double machine illustrated, the rollers 48 and 49 are, of course, duplicated. Said rollers are pressed together, under increased strain, by a weight 54, shown as adjust-ably applied to j a lever 55 which is fulerumed to a transverse section l" ofthe frame l, and is connected to the intermediate portion ofthe shaft 5l, by a 1o strap 56, havin a half-bearing 56 that rests loosely'on said s aft (see particularly F' 2, and ll). As is evident, the rollers 4 are so mounted that they are free to rise and permit the grass to pass between the same and the rollers 48, butI are held downward under such pressure that they will crush and flattenY out b s'des of ass, `and thereby increase the flexibility of t ie grass by disintegratin the brittle portion thereo vThe pressure o the .rollers'49 may be varied by adjustments 'of the weight 54 on the lever 55. Rotar motion is imparted from the countersha t 3 to the lower vroller shaft 50, through a gear 57 on the latter, which meshes wit the gear 5 -on theformer, (see Figs. 2 and 1l).

Mns-forming mechanism-'This mechanism is shown throughout Figs. l 2, 4, 6, 12 and 13. The numeral 58 indicates a transversely s entended vspindle supporting frame which at its ends, and near its rear edge, is provided with trunnions 59 that are 'ournaled in beari 60 on the sides of the ame l. At its en s, near its forward edge, the'frame 58 is provided with trunnion-h e projections 6.1. that'normall rest in flanged seats 62 formed on the si es of the main frame 1, and they are rigidly held down, as shown, by keys 63 driven through the flanges of said seats as best shown in Fi 1 and 2. `When the keys 63 are removed, t e frame 58 is capable of 'ivotal movement on itstrunnions 59, as an( for s. purpose which" lwill hereinafter appear.v Mounted in bearings 58 on the frame 58l isa hollow spindle 64 which, as showncarries at its rear end a ll wheel (l5 and is provided with a pulley 66, tfl'e latter oi which works ina clearance pae- .sagc cut in the intermediate portion of said frame 58. At its forwardly projecting end the spindle 64 is constructed to hold a threa containing s iool, and for this purpose is provided, just orward ofvthe frame 58, with a disk-likeprojection 67. Theextreme forward end of the'spindlo 64 in exteriorly threaded, and unto this threaded end is screwed a sleeve like supplemental spindle section 68, The numeral 69 indicates the annular core of the spool, and69 indicates the body of thread contained thereon, the latter being indicated by dotted lines only in Fi l and 6. 'lhe core 00 is pressed against t e disk 67, and at its other end, it. is in urn p by a washer 70, inter iosed between the same and the abutting enil of thc supplemental dslpindle al section 68. The supplemental spin eleo-l scenes 'irojected curvedk `arm 7l which, at its en is formed with a. gruide eye 71 'through which .the thread om the s l 69* is passed. The arm 70 acts as a flier to wind the thread around the compacted grass blades, and it is not, oi course, passed through the bore of the supplemental sleeve section which carries it., but is mounted at one side thereof. In this double machine, the described spindles, and parts carried thereby, are of course duplicated. Both spindles are driven from a belt 72- which runs over the s indle pulleys 66, and under the pulley 13 o the long countershaft 12 (see artieularly Fips. 2 and 4). To take up the s ack of the be t 72, and to permit thev frame58, and the-spindles carried thereby, 4to be moved pivotally upward as shown in Fig. 6, a wei hted tightening pulley 73 is hung upon the 4 ownwardly drawn in- 35 -termediate portion of thebelt 72. l This pulley is loosely mounted in a bracket like bearing 74 wliic is mounted to slide vertically onv ide rods 75 that depend from the intermeiate portion of the pivoted frame 58, As .shown in Figs. 2 and a detachable weight 76 is hung from the bottom of the bearing 74, to ive increased tension on the belt 72.

he grass, as it passes through or from between the crushing rollers 48-49, comes in contact with a rearwardl tapered concentrating spout 77 which is xed, as shown, on a transverse su porting bar 24, rigidly secured at its en s to the sides of the frame 1 y (see Figs. 1 and v6). This lconcentrating 1g s out 77 brings the hitherto loosely assemb ed grass blades into quite compact form, and puts the same inl condition-for assage through orl hetweenfthe so-called A rawing wheels. These :so-calledv drawing wheels are located in pairs, the one pair just in front, and the other air just in the rear, of the corre's ondinn,| lio low spindle 64.

he lower drawin wheels are indicated by, the numeral 78, w ile the upper drawing 11 wheels are indicated by the numeral 79. Thesaid lower wheels are carried b transverse shafts 80, mounted in suitable earings on the sides of the frame l, and intermediate berings 81,rigidly secured to the interniediste portions of the frame bars 24'* and 24". 'I he upper or press members 79 of the drawing wheels'arc carried b short shafts 82 thatv are mounted in slcoveli c bearings 83, which sleeves are, provided with laterally projecting hinge lu 83'* that are hinged to lugs 8l of the fixe bearin 81 (see particularly Fi l1 and 12)'. To t e hinge lugs 83,- are rigi y attached hand pieces 83b which ail'ord levers for liftin upward, with a ivotal movement onthe hinge lugs 8l, the l caring sleeves'S, ,shafts 82 and wheels 79.

As a simple and efficient means for yieldingly drawing downward the upper draw .w eels'79, nuttcd bolts 84. are passed through 13 .85 coiled springs 86 are interposed between ower lugs 85 and nuts`87 on the said As is evident, by adjustments of the 7,-on the bolts 84 the tension of the dmaybesetso as to ve anyde- 'ureof the drawing w reels on the lower drawing wheels, both at g .rger

grooved. The u per draw wheels 79 at n arofsaidspin s,srsalsogrooved ses 13 ,.but the ulpgler drawing wheels 79 at of thespi e(seeFig. 12) havenartatfaces, and work between t e flan the co6 ting lower wheels 78. This is but no t essential arrangement of Q wingwheels. Between the two bearr 81, the shaft 80 carries a spur gear 88 I ar 89 carried by the shaft 82 and located tween the two sections of the sleeve 83 (see particularly 13). At their left hand ends, as viewed 12 sud T3, the shafts 80 are provided with' sprockets 90, over which runs a met chain 91 (see Fig; 1L. The forward 80 is also provided wit a sprocket 92, over which, and the heretofore noted sprocket 39 of the roller 38, runs a e rocket chain 93. Motion is imparted to t e forward shaft 8 0', from the countershaft- 3 (see Fi 2 and l2), through a s ur gear 94 carri by said shaft 80 and mee ing with the, ar 5 of said shaft 3. As is evident from t e foregoing, motion is imparted from the forward shaft 80 to the rear-shaft 80,. through the sprocket chain 91, and is imparted to the lower feed roller 33 through the chain 93.

Referring again to Fig. 8 and observin the dotte'd ine position of the parts, it wi 's ser: r

40 'now be seen that when the hinged frame 58,

iss

'and the spindles and other parts carried thereby, are turned pivotally upward, the spools of thread 69* may be slid axially ofi' from the spindles and clear of the forward upper drawing wheels 79. This construction is importent, because it facilitates the application and removal of the spools of wrappil thread to the spindles and saves time. nder the above noted pivotal movement of the hinged frame and parts carried thereby, the tightening sheave 73 maintains engagement with the` belt 72, under sliding movements of its sliding bearing 74 on the guide rods 75.

[feeling mechanisms-The reeling'mechanism, which. as already stated, involves nothing novel in itself. is illustrated in l-`igs. l. and 5. As clearly shown iu Fig. the miter gear'ls'i, on the rear end ol the long countershaft l2, meshes with 'u miter gear 1H earried by n short transverse shaft 9S, mounted in suitable hearings on d' transverse lmr 24" of the frame l, and provided at its` ends with beveled pinions 96. 'I`he 'iinious 96 mesh with bevel gears 07 carried by large spools 'on the sleeves 83 and bearings 81,1

front and at the rear of'the'spindle 04,

or windlass drums 98 that are iournaled in bearings 99 on the bar 24'. In this double 'arrangement of the machine, the completed twine,indieatedbyltheeharactershasitcomes from the two twine-forming mechanisms, is simultaneously wound on the two spools 98. Each spool 98, at its lower end carries aspur gear 100 that meshes with the spur pinion 01 carried by a vertically disposed reversely threaded screw rod 102 loosely iournaled at its lower end in suitable bearings on the bar 24. Working on each screw rod 102 is an automatically reversible traveler 103 of the usual construction, which carries a guide spout -104 thro h which the twine is passed .on its way to t e spool. The said traveler and spout and reversely threaded screw rod, act as a "deployef to cause the twine to be wound in layers on the spools.

0peroomThe operation of the machine, summarized, is substantially as follows: The grass, after having been combed or otherwise treated, so that its blades lie substantially parallel, is placed in the holder afforded b the posts l and 22, and with its butt en s against the stop plate 23;` and 'will then lic substantially as shown in l' ige. 1 and 6. The blades at the lower portion of the holder will fill the flaring mouth or upper extremity of the feed slot 17 in the vertice flange ofthe supporting bracket 16 (see Fi 7 and 8), and hence some of the blades w1 l always rest upon the notched periphery of the primary feed or selectin disk 26, adjacent to the feed throat formed tween thc peri herv of said disk and the abutting curved e ge 27 of the throat plate 27. The wall or edge 17 of the slot 17 as before Istated (see particularly Fig. 9), a short distance from the upper extremity of the throat o iening; rises above the notched periphery o the disk rand holds the grass `blades out of contact with the disk, except in the close vicinity of the said throat olpenm t e dis 26 are lpreferably of such size that cach will take up or hold within itself. one blade of grass. iowever, when the throat opening is made large enough, by the The notches in the periphery of pro )er adjustments of the throat plate 27,.

eac 1 notch, acting directly upon one blade of ass, and indirectly uponfone or more other ilades, will cause the feeding of more than one blade for the passage of cach notch. The said disk, acting on we blades," forces them from the holder and through the throat opening above noted, by a lateral or sidcwisc movement, as distinguishml from an cndwlse or axial movement, and under such movement, deliwrs the blades letueen the dlvergiug portions of the rollers` 3S und 47 of the secondary feed device. About the same time that the grass blades are delivered between the` said feed rollers, they are forced laterally out of engagement witli the notches ,of the'disk 20, by the wall l'* of the feed intersecting ,movements to the i character an attenuated curved delivery throat leading from the bottom thereof, of a notched selecting disk eoperating with said throat, and operating tc the grass laterally through said throat a pair of cooperating feed rollers having su aces that diverge from each other longitudinally of said rollers adapting them to receive the delive laterally thereto b said dis one of said rollers havinv spi threads for imparting' limited latera grass, said two rollers operating to feed the grass en'dwise and having clearance grooves, substantiaily as described.

4. In a feed mechanism for a machine of diechaeacter described, a pair of cooperating feed rol rs having surfaces that diverge from each other longit dinally of said rollers adaptin them to *eet-.ive grass blades delivered t creto by lateral movement, one of said rollers having spiral threads foil insuring thelateral movements of the grass between saiu rollers, said rollers o .ratin' to feed the grass endwise, substantie ly as i escribed.

5. In afeed mechanism for a machine of the character described, a pair of rollers having surfaces thatdive from each other longitudinally of said ro lcrs ada tin them to receive grass delivered latera y t creto, one 'of said rollers having spiral t reads for insuring the lateral movement of the grass between said rollers, one of said rollers also having: clearance groove beyond said spiral threa into which the grass is fed laterally by said threads, ss it is fed eiidwise by said rollers, substantiall f as described.

6. In a feed mec aniam for a machine of the character described, the combination with a grasa holder, of guiding devices forining s a attenuated curved delivery throat extending from said grass holder in a plane transversal intersecting the blades of grass held there y, and a notched selecting disk coperating with said throat, one wall of said throat being extended concentric to the peri hery of said disk and the'other wall therethe periphery of the, disk, near the extremities of said throat, and extending inward of the peri hery of said disk along the intermediate portion of said throat, substantially as described.

7. In a twine forming mechanism of the described the combination with drawing wheels and a tubular spindle rotatively mounted between said drawing wheels, of a pivoted sup rt, affording a rocking bearing for said spindle, adapting the spindle. to be moved into an inoperative position, so that a thread spool may ie readily applied to or removed from said spindle, substantially as described.

8. In a machine of the character described,

the combination with a pivotally mounted bearing, of a thread carrying spindle journaled t icrcin, and provided with a pulley, a

driving (pulley, mounted on a relativclv fixed part, a riving belt running over said driving pulley and the spindle pulley and a weighted pulley, loosely hung on ssii elt, for keepin the saine taut and permitting the pivots movements of said spindle support, substantially as described.

9. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a pivoted spindle support and a pair of tubular thread carrying .spindles journaled thereon, and each having a pullcv, a driving pulley mounted on a reistively fixedfpart of the machine frame, guides de nding r be t tightcner coniprisinf a bearing slidably mounted on said dcpcm ing guides and provided witli a pufley and a driving belt running over said spindic pulleys and under said driving pullcv and tightening pulley, substantiallv as described.

l0. In a machine of' the character dcscribed, tbc combination wit-li a transverse feeding device, of a longitudinal feeding device, and means for varying the relative speeds of the two feeding devices, substantially as described.

1l. In a machine of thc character described, the combination with a grass holder, of a primary feed device involving s notched selector o rativc to force the grass blades laterally roni s'aid holder, a secondary feed device receiving lthe grass from said primary feed device and feeding the same endwise, and means for varving the speed of said notched selector with respect to said secondary feed device, substantially as described.

l2. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a grass holder and twine forming mechanism, of a primary feed device involving a notched selecting disk operative to forcethe grass blades laterally from said holder, a secondary feed device receiving the rrasa from said rimai'y feed device and' feet ing the same en( wise to said twine forming mechanism, and means for varying the speed of said selectin 'disk with res Vct to said secondary feed evicc, rsubstantially as described.

13. In a machine of the character described, a ass feeding mechanism comprising a notc led selector operative to feed the grass laterally, and a ri id vthroat pl'ate coperating with said notc. ied selector, and adjustable with respect thereto, to vary the. throat opening or feed passage throu vh. which the grass is fed laterally, substantiaily as described..

1.4. In a machine of the cliaractci dcscribcd, the combination with a grass holder, of a notched selectin" disk operative to fccd the grass laterally ticrefroiii,'niid a rigid throat plato curved at one edge, to follow the periphery of said notched disk, and adjustable cdgcwiscwith respect thereto, to vary thc throat opening or passage formed om saidspindlc support, and a between the periphery of snid disk amd the l in wheh one of said rollers is mounted, sul 1o eurved surfnee nl' sund pluie, snhstunlmlly ns l stnntlully as described. deserilnd.

I In testimony whereof I allx my signature l5. ln n feed mfwlmmsm for u :'aelnno of ln presence el' two wltnesea. b the eharneler deserllwd, a [mir of feed rollers r n mving surfnees tlm! diverge from eneh other KARL WF'SSEI" longdudmnlly ol' smd rollers, ndnplmg them to receive gruss blades delivered thereto by Intern! movmnents and n weighted bearing 'ilnesses:

Runner C. Mmm', F. l). Mmwmx'r. 

